Los Angeles Lakers vs. Portland Trail Blazers Betting Odds, Analysis, NBA Pick

The Los Angeles Lakers (13-25) will try to win their second straight game after losing seven of eight and take advantage of the tired Portland Trail Blazers (15-22) on Thursday as small road underdogs.

The Lakers also have just three wins in their last 18 games, although they have managed to cover the spread in six of their past 10 outings.

Point spread: The Trail Blazers opened as 3.5-point favorites; the total is at 215, according to sportsbooks monitored by OddsShark. (Line updates and matchup report)

NBA pick, via OddsShark computer: 103-100 Trail Blazers (NBA picks on every game)

Why the Lakers can cover the spread

Los Angeles is coming off a 116-102 rout of the Memphis Grizzlies on Tuesday, pulling off the upset as a 4.5-point home underdog. The Lakers connected on a season-high 17-of-33 three-point attempts (51.5 percent) and also saw power forward Julius Randle finish with a triple-double of 19 points, 14 rebounds and 11 assists.

Granted, they will not hit anywhere near that many three-pointers often, but their confidence is definitely there at times and carries the team. That momentum could carry over here at Portland.

Why the Trail Blazers can cover the spread

The Trail Blazers are on the outside of the Western Conference playoff race looking in and need to win games like this in order to stay in contention for one of the last postseason spots.

They are not that far ahead of Los Angeles in the West standings and will be back at home after wrapping up a three-game road trip at Golden State on Wednesday. Portland has a winning record at home straight up (9-7), and the team has also won eight in a row over the Lakers to go along with a 7-1 mark against the spread.

Smart pick

The Blazers have lost eight of their last 10 games when playing the second game of a back-to-back situation both SU and ATS, and they will be exhausted after running up and down the floor with the Warriors the night before.

Los Angeles has not won at Portland since 2014, but these Lakers are so young that they will not even be thinking about the past as they keep this game closer than expected and cover with an outside shot at another upset.

Betting trends

Los Angeles is 6-12 ATS in its last 18 games.

The total has gone under in five of Portland's last seven games.

Portland is 4-1 ATS in its last five games.

All NBA lines and betting trends courtesy of Bleacher Report’s official odds partner, OddsShark. All quotes gathered firsthand unless otherwise noted. Check out Twitter for injury and line-movement updates and the OddsShark YouTube page for picks and analysis, or download the free odds tracker app.